4th Round
Warrington Wolves 38 d. Hull KR 10

2007 Challenge Cup Index [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: Challenge Cup

Warrington gain revenge on Hull KR
Sun April 1, 2007
Source: www.therfl.co.uk

Warrington Wolves avenged last year's shock loss to Hull KR as they claimed a place in the Carnegie Challenge Cup fifth round.

The Wolves were stunned by then National League Rovers in the quarter-finals in 2006 but there was to be no repeat at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Stuart Reardon touched down just before half-time to give the Wolves a lead they never relinquished and two-try Vinnie Anderson, Chris Bridge, Brent Grose and Paul Rauhihi made the game safe.

It was the Wolves' second win over the Robins in a fortnight following their engage Super League victory at the same ground.

Warrington coach Paul Cullen had missed part of the build-up to the game due to personal reasons and without key players Lee Briers, Adrian Morley and Paul Johnson, they started slowly.

They were to suffer further bad news on the injury front as Rob Parker went off with a suspected broken hand and Paul Wood was helped from the field early in the second half.

Hull KR were missing their own inspirational captain James Webster but seemed determined enough as they dominated the opening exchanges.

Yet they failed to make possession count and Warrington snatched the lead against the run of play on 10 minutes.

Byron Ford was perhaps guilty of over-confidence as he attempted a one-handed offload on halfway and Reardon gathered the ball as it went loose and returned with interest.

The Wolves full-back skipped around several challenges before being halted but play was quickly moved to the left where Anderson sent Grose over for his first of two.

It was harsh on the bright-starting Rovers but the visitors trailed for just two minutes as David Tangata-Toa collected a gift try by intercepting a long Jon Clarke pass to run in.

Clarke, the hooker given a run at scrum-half due to Briers' absence, almost made amends as he kicked to the corner but Richie Barnett could not capitalise.

Stand-off Bridge was also unable to bring down a high Clarke kick by the posts as the Wolves began to take a grip on the game.

Clarke was involved as Warrington, having taken possession when Makali Aizue was ruled to have knocked on, reclaimed the lead with a messy try three minutes before the interval.

Clarke could not take a poor one-handed pass from Rauhihi but kicked forward and Reardon pounced after a deflection off a defender.

Bridge converted to put the Wolves 10-4 ahead at half-time and they soon extended their lead as Rauhihi found Anderson with a brilliant one-handed pass and the Kiwi loose forward crashed through the Rovers defence.

The Wolves thought they had another when Chris Leikvoll barged his way over but video evidence suggested it was not grounded.

The next try was not long in coming, though, as Bridge weaved his way through and then added his third of five conversions.

Wolves second row Ben Westwood was placed on report for an apparent elbow on Tommy Gallagher and Rovers pulled a try back from close range by Kirk Netherton.

But Warrington were not to be denied and Grose, Anderson and Rauhihi finished matters in the dying minutes.

Warrington Wolves (10) 38
Tries: Grose 2, Anderson 2, Reardon, Bridge, Rauhihi
Goals: Bridge 5

Hull KR (4) 10
Tries: Tangata-Toa, Netherton
Goals: Morton

Warrington Wolves: Reardon, Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Grose, Barnett, Bridge, Clarke, Leikvoll, Mark Gleeson, Wood, Westwood, Wainwright, Anderson.
Subs: Sullivan, Parker, Pickersgill, Rauhihi.

Hull KR: Cockayne, Steel, Dyer, Bauer, Ford, Murrell, Brooks, Aizue, Fisher, Gannon, J. Netherton, Ward, Gallagher.
Subs: Morton, K. Netherton, Wilson, Tangata-Toa.

Referee: R Silverwood
Att: 4,523

Report source: www.therfl.co.uk

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